Wordless Wednesday

Her last day as a four year old

Top Ten Tuesday

Today, because I have nothing of value to say or show, I am linking up with OhAmanda for her weekly Top Ten Tuesday.  And I really don't even have a proper list of anything....just a few (or ten, I guess) random thoughts/questions that have been running through my head today.

1.  How long is it appropriate to wait before you RSVP to a birthday party?  We sent out invitations last week for Hannah's birthday party last week.  Her party is next Saturday and we've yet to hear from anyone. It breaks my heart into a million pieces to think she will be expecting all of her friends and no one will be there.  Shouldn't we have heard something by now?

2.  I had a disaster of epic proportions this morning.  I ran out of hairspray.  My girls told me I should not use hairspray, that I should let my naturally fine, thin, limp hair be fine, thin, and limp.  That it's the style.  That it would look good.  Better even.  My first student walks in and says, "What happened to your hair?  Did you know it fell down a little?"  Yes,...yes I do.  Thanks for noticing.

3.  Speaking of hair, I have become a bit obsessed with Charlotte's.  Some might say it rivals my obsession with my feet during my last pregnancy.  And they just might be right.  Case in point:  I just spent five minutes and 17 shots trying to get this picture.  Is that a bit of wave I see????!!!! :)

4.  My baby girl will turn five on Thursday.  Five.  When did that happen?  How?  And how did I get so busy that it's now less than 36 hours before her birthday and I've yet to bake a cake or buy a present?

5.  And how pathetic is it that I am having to take a few hours off of work tomorrow to go and bake said cake and buy said presents?

6.  This happens way too often in our house.

In case you couldn't tell, those are socks that my sweet girls are throwing into the air.  Socks from the sock basket, in which all of the socks that come out of the dryer go into until I get around to matching them and putting them away.

7.  The basket has been in our living room for going on three weeks. (and so has that laundry basket in the corner of the picture) When I borrowed my husband's car the other day, I found several packs of new socks.  I guess it's time to actually get to the sock basket (and that laundry basket).

8.  Because of the laundry habits in #6 and #7, I have nightmares that the laundry pile at the foot of our bed will someday overtake us in our sleep.

9.  I have similar nightmares about the mess around my husband's recliner.

10.  And finally, how do you fellow bloggers find the time for the blogosphere?  How do you work (in or outside the home), do the work you have to take home with you, take care of your home and children, spend time with your husband and  have time to keep up with your blog, not to mention the blogs you follow?

Hope you have had a terrific Tuesday!

It's no secret.  I do NOT like to exercise.  I don't mind going to the gym or the track or the exercise class.  I don't mind making a fool of myself with my major uncoordination.  I don't mind breathing hard and getting my heart rate up.  I love the way it makes me feel (after it is over).  I love the way it makes me look.  I love the health benefits.  What I don't like?  I don't like to sweat.

"Women perspire," they tell me.  They don't sweat, they "glisten."  And it's true.  Most women do.  I look around and see women with a slight sheen on their face, not a hair out of place, a nice blush creeping to their cheeks.  I see women leaving the gym, looking no worse for wear than when they went in.  I have friends who take showers after they work out, but stick to their every other day hair washing routine.

Me?  I was fortunate to be blessed with sweat genes.  My father is a sweater (as in person who sweats, not the winter weather staple) and I am too.  No sooner do I start my workout and I am soaked, hair included.  Not only that, but I turn bright red.  And lest you think I exaggerate, you may ask any of the eight people I passed on my way back to my classroom after working out this afternoon.  Every single one of them asked if I was ok, and two of them tried to get me to sit down and drink some water. (No, that's not embarrassing).

You see, I started with a new trainer today--my daughter, Maddy (aka the energizer bunny.)  In my attempt to encourage her to keep running now that track season has ended, I got myself a workout nazi partner.  After walk/running (running the straight parts; walking the curves) a mile and doing two stadiums, I thought I was going to die.   I survived, though, and I will suffer again tomorrow.

Because I am going to do this.   And if the blood pressure, the cholesterol, the bad knees, bad feet, and snug clothes aren't reasons enough, my darling daughter said this to me yesterday after seeing me crop myself out of a picture: "Well, Mama, at least your big legs aren't in the picture."  Out of the mouths of babes.
Plus, as Daryl so eloquently put it,  I'm "financially invested."  If I'm going to pay to do this, I'm going to do it right.  I'm tired of being the fat mom, the fat first grade teacher, the fat one at the family get togethers.  I'm tired of feeling bad about myself, and while I know that my friends and family love me for who I am on the inside, I'm ready to love myself inside and out...sweat and all.

Easter 2011

Easter arrived at the Stone household bright and early this morning.  Actually, I was the only one who was up, and the only one happy to be awake.  All of the girls cried at one point or another before we made it out of the door for church, but we still enjoyed a lovely Easter morning together!

The loot

Even for Daryl and me...the card, for both of us.  The candy? Just for Daryl.  I will not eat the Reese's.  I will not eat the Reese's.  I will not eat the Reese's.  Think if I say it enough I will be able to resist? 

Charlotte really didn't know what to think of it all.

Hannah loved it all!

 Pretty Maddy (who was distraught because she didn't like the way her dress looked--I thought she looked gorgeous)

Pretty Sarah (who was distraught because she didn't have enough time to get up and take a shower and get ready and had to have wet hair.  Again...gorgeous)

 Finding eggs hidden in the living room.

My handsome hubby  (+ a moving kidney stone)

Once we got to church, Charlotte caught up with an old friend who was born just 17 days after her.  I will have to admit to some serious hair envy on my part!

She participated in her very first church egg hunt.  Last year, she participated in the long Stone tradition of being scared of the grass and cried.

Oh what a difference a year makes!

Hannah's class came out after the little girls had a chance to find their eggs.

My handsome boy showed up to see help his sisters.  Sigh.  Just seemed like yesterday I was doing this with him.

Both girls enjoyed egg hunting, but enjoyed the slide more!

Hannah and her sweet friend Wilberta.

And her boyfriend, Prince Reilly.

After church, it was off to Nanny's for some good food.

And some "craps." (crafts, in Hannahspeak)  Nanny's craft drawer is full of so much fun stuff!

Later, after Darlene and her girls got there, and Donald and Patricia came for a surprise visit, Hannah decided to perform...with a little help from little sister.

Then it was time to hit the road for naptime for Charlotte, movie time for the big girls, and outside time for Daddy and Hannah.  For me?  grocery store, laundry, meal prep for the week.  So much for my day of rest!

Happy Easter!

Time to Dye the Eggs!

Nothing like waiting until the last minute, and really...that's the way we do things around here, so last night after dinner, we fit in a little egg dying before the little girls went to bed.

Waiting patiently for Mom to get the eggs, etc.

Some waited patiently

Some did not!

 Finally, time to get to work!

 And what holiday tradition would be complete with at least one spill?

 Hannah, I think, enjoyed herself the most.  She stayed long after Charlotte had gone to take her bath and stuck stickers on all of her eggs.

A beautiful rainbow of Easter eggs!

Super,snuggly, silly, sticky, Saturday

So glad that I had yesterday off, because today started early and it was go, go, go!

*First off to drop Maddy at the school and off to my first Weight Watchers meeting in 10 years.  5.4 pounds less of me! yay!  And as a reward, what did I do?  Headed straight for Chick Fil A for a chicken biscuit.  Have I learned nothing????  Good news is that I have planned my day to still stay within points.

*Then off to Landmark for Maddy's regional track meet.  I didn't take my camera because I feel like I have enough pictures of a little speck of Maddy running.  And of course, this time, there was this huge podium and they handed out awards and medals and announced the winners.  So I took the best picture I could with my phone.  In case that you can't tell, she's all the way on the left...posing (so so Maddy).

And what did the rest of my family do while I sat in the bleachers for 6 hours?

They played dress up.

And snuggled with Daddy.

 And played with stickers.

More fun tonight with egg dying!

Good Friday

Good Friday.  As a child, it was the last church day before Easter, preceded by Holy Tuesday and Maundy Thursday.  The day the black cloth was put on the cross and we left the church in darkness and silence.  It meant two more sleeps until Easter morning and new clothes, egg hunts, baskets full of treats, and the flower cross at church.  As a teen and young adult, it was just another Friday.  As  a young mother, it meant we would spend the weekend with my parents, get the kids dressed up, and go to church-something we didn't usually do.

Now?  It means a day off of school.  Two more sleeps before Easter morning and new clothes, egg hunts, baskets full of treats, but no flower cross at church (I really miss that--I've never been to another church that has done it, and while I was terrified of the bees that were drawn to it, I loved it and thought it was just so beautiful).  It means running around trying to get things ready for Easter morning, things that I've neglected in a busy week of Easter preparedness at school.

Now?  It means so much more.  It is a reminder of the goodness of God.  That he would look upon my sin and then offer his son upon the cross to save me.  It means that for three hours, Jesus felt the total abandonment of God as He took my sins upon himself, just so in my times of loneliness and sorrow, I could feel His comfort and love.  As a parent and a human, it just defies my understanding.

The girls and I will spend the day together, as the guys have work and school.  We'll shop and plan for Easter morning.  We'll cuddle and talk and laugh and cook.  We may even dye an egg or two.  I'm going to try the Resurrection Eggs with Hannah, to make this day more real to her.  She knows it in her head.  I want her to know it in her heart.

On Thursday, while I was preparing my classroom, she was busy drawing and coloring and cutting and glueing.  "Look Mama!  It's Jesus on the cross!"

"Wait!  I need to make His smile.  Because He loves us."  Ahhh...the faith of a child. Love it.

"Jesus is Alive!"